| Title | Shape Shifting Across Social Media |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Brittany I. Davidson(author) |
| Adam N. Joinson (author) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.32376/3f8575cb.d8e1a45b |
| Landing page | https://www.mediastudies.press/pub/davidson-shape/ |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Publisher | mediastudies.press |
| Published on | 2021-07-15 |
| Short abstract | Individuals change and adapt their behavior according to their social situation (e.g., transitioning from work to home). |
| Long abstract | Individuals change and adapt their behavior according to their social situation (e.g., transitioning from work to home). However, how does this shape shifting of self-presentations and identity translate into various online platforms? This exploratory study utilizes a novel and mixed methodological approach to better understand user behavior across social media platforms. We interviewed 22 participants and employed a repertory grid technique to reveal deeper similarities and differences in behavior across various online platforms. We found that users had a variety of strategies for managing multiple audiences across multiple platforms. Almost all participants actively separated their professional (e.g., LinkedIn) and social (e.g., Facebook or Instagram) oriented platforms typically by self-censorship of posts rather than utilizing audience management tools. Via the repertory grid technique, we revealed a number of more subtle nuances of how participants reflect on how and why they maintain a number of social media identities. |